


in another life

by doc_pickles



Series: The Andrews Family [5]
Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, barchie fluff, this is what i’m good at don’t stop me
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-24
Updated: 2019-07-24
Packaged: 2020-07-12 15:06:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,595
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19948186
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/doc_pickles/pseuds/doc_pickles
Summary: an alternate ending to ‘more than fine’-you must read ‘more than fine’ for this to make any sense





	in another life

**Author's Note:**

> greetings friends!! this is an ending for more than fine that I toyed around with and actually wrote part of before going with my original ending. I love the way the ending turned out, but I wanted to entertain this idea as well. I hope you enjoy.

“Hey, you ready to go?”

Betty looked up from the stack of papers on her desk and smiled. Archie was standing in the doorway, gym bag slung over his shoulders and a smile on his face as he leaned against the door jam. Betty always stayed late at school to grade papers so that she and Archie could leave at the same time after he finished practice.

“Yes, I’m starving and I miss Hudson,” Betty gathered her things up and slung her bag over her shoulder. “I’m lucky I get to see you all day, otherwise I would lose my mind.”

Archie chuckled as he took one of Betty’s hands in his and headed down the hallway to the exit. He felt like the luckiest man alive to have a beautiful girlfriend next to him and a son waiting for them at home. As Archie and Betty walked out the front entrance of Riverdale High, they came face to face with a tall blonde woman on the steps. 

“Betty Cooper?”

“That’s me,” Betty took a cautious step towards the woman. “Who are you?”   
“You’ve been served,” the woman handed an envelope to Betty and smirked. “Have a great day!”

Archie watched the woman leave with a confused glance as Betty opened up the envelope. Her eyes raked over the papers quickly and then she let out a gasp.

“Archie… oh no,” Betty turned towards Archie, her eyes wide with fear. “He’s trying to take me to court, he wants custody of Hudson. Archie, he’s going to ruin my life.”

Archie took the papers Betty handed him and scanned them quickly. He was confused, Ben had said he didn’t want to be involved with Hudson or Betty anymore. He could only assume that Ben was trying to get revenge on Betty. 

“Babe, it’s okay. We’re gonna fight Ben on this and keep Hudson and then we’ll never have to worry about him again. Okay?”

Betty nodded and swiped at her eyes, her fingers picking up the tears that had collected. Archie pulled her into his side and ran his hand down her hair. 

“I’m gonna fix this babe, I know just who to call.” 

+

“Archie, I’m going to be honest, you’re in real shit,” Mary Andrews looked up at her son as she bounced Hudson in her arms and read over the papers Betty had been given. She had taken the next flight out of Chicago when Archie had called her. “And Fred, honestly, how could let him do this?”

“Listen Mary, they’re not asking for a lecture here, they just want to protect their son,” Fred sighed as he stared down his ex wife. “What’s done is done, we just need to figure out how to keep that bastard away from Betty and Hudson.”

“Well legally, things are a little sticky,” Mary sighed as she sank in one of the dining room chairs. “Ben doesn’t have any rights as of now because he wasn't present at Hudson’s birth and therefore didn’t get to sign the birth certificate. Archie, since you  _ did _ sign the birth certificate you’re technically Hudson’s dad, but Ben is asking for a paternity test, which will prove Hudson is his and gives him grounds to take Betty to court for parental rights and shared custody, both of which he’s asking for.”

Betty froze instantly at Mary’s last words. She could tell Fred was saying something, but all she heard was white noise. Her eyes were fixed to Hudson sleeping in Mary’s arms. She couldn’t let her son see Ben, she wouldn’t let him go. She couldn’t put Hudson through the childhood she had endured. 

“What if… what if Ben wasn’t Hudson’s dad?” The question hung in the silence in the silence of the Andrews dining room, all eyes on Betty as she looked nervously at her hands. “It was just once, but there was someone else. And the timeline fits, but I just thought that I was with Ben so much it wouldn’t matter but now…”

Betty trailed off, not letting her mind drift to where it was going. There were two ways this could go: Really good or  _ really  _ bad. Before she could say anything else, Archie had stood up and stormed out the front door. Out of all the reactions she envisioned, this was not one. Betty quickly stood up and followed him out onto the porch.

“Archie,” Betty found him sitting on the wooden bench out front. “Are you okay?”   
“No I’m not okay Betty! Why didn’t you ever tell me,” Archie looked up at Betty, his expression a mixture of anger and sadness. “Were you just going to string me along and never tell me that Hudson might  _ actually  _ be mine?”

“I didn’t know! I thought we were careful and I thought Ben really was his father but now,” Betty ran a hand through her hair as she tried in vain to stop the tears that were forming in her eyes. “Now things are so different and I’m praying that Ben has no hold over Hudson. I want more than anything for him to be yours Archie, but I don’t want to get my hopes up only for Ben to come in and steal him away from me. From us.”

“Betts, hey,” Archie took a step forward and cupped Betty’s face softly. “No matter what happens, Hudson is always going to be mine. And I’m going to make sure that he never gets to Hud. Okay?”

Betty nodded and pulled Archie into her embrace. She knew whatever happened, Archie would fight tooth and nail for her and Hudson. 

+

“To the soon to be Mrs. Rogers!”

Veronica raised her shot glass, Josie, Archie, Kevin, Cheryl, and Betty joining in. The group downed their shots and Veronica ran off to talk to the DJ, Josie trailing behind her. Cheryl and Kevin moved to dance, leaving Archie and Betty to move closer to hear each other. 

“You excited? Only two months until you’re somebody’s wife,” Archie grinned at his best friend, but Betty didn’t look happy about the situation. “What’s up?”

“I don’t know… I just think you might be right, maybe I am rushing this,” Betty sighed. “I don’t think Ben is as committed to this as I am.” 

“Well there’s only one way to fix this,” Archie grinned widely and slipped out of the booth. “Come on, let's dance!”

Betty rolled her eyes as she took Archie’s outstretched hand. The two joined the rest of their group as the song that Josie and Veronica requested began to play. 

“Oh my god, V! You did not request Shawn Mendes!”

“You know this is our powerhouse song, B! Come on,” Veronica grabbed Betty’s hand and twisted her around the dance floor, the duo belting out the song with Kevin. “Is it too late to tell you that everything means nothing if I can't have you!”

Archie couldn’t help but stare at Betty. She was jumping around, her long legs glowing in the lowlight of the club and her hair flowing around her as she looked carefree for the first time in ages. 

She looked beautiful. 

_ I can't write one song that's not about you. Can't drink without thinkin' about you. Is it too late to tell you that everything means nothing if I can't have you? _

Archie listened to the lyrics, his eyes never leaving Betty’s dancing form. He wished he could just make everything that had happened in the past year disappear. Go back to a time before Ben and Betty, tell her that he loved her more than anything. 

_ Is it wrong for me to not want half? I want all of you, all the strings attached.  _

But that wasn’t the world Archie was in now. He had to live with the fact that Betty was not his. And never would be. 

+

“Archiiiiiiiiie,” Betty whined as she plopped down onto her couch. Ben was staying with his friends for the night and Archie had volunteered to get her home safely. “Can you take my shoes off? They hurt!”

Archie chuckled and sat down next to Betty, starting to remove her heels as she giggled at him. She began to laugh loudly as soon as Archie’s fingers touched the skin of her legs. 

“You have to stop moving so I can take these off, Betts,” Archie raised his eyebrows at Betty. “Or I’m going to have to hold you down.”

Archie moved back to remove Betty’s shoes, but she began giggling again. He attempted once more and Betty began to squirm underneath his hold on her legs, prompting him to quickly pin her down on the couch. Archie leaned over Betty’s face, his only an inch form hers.

“Archie,” Betty breathed out and Archie could hear the need in her voice. “ _ Please _ .”

That’s all it took for Archie to surge forward, his lips colliding with Betty’s as his hands tangled in his hair. This is what he had waited for. Archie felt his heart swell as Betty caressed his face gently, her hands moving up to tangle in his hair. He reveled in the feeling, holding on to it as tightly as he could because he knew that this wouldn’t last.

But,  _ oh _ , what Archie Andrews would give to hold Betty Cooper in his arms forever.

+

“Alright Mr. Andrews, I’m going to swab your cheek now and we’ll send these off to the lab this afternoon,” the young doctor in front of Archie and Betty grinned as he swabbed Archie’s mouth. “Due to the nature of the paternity test, you won’t get the results until your court date next week. I wish you both the best of luck.”

Betty nodded at the doctor, grabbing Archie’s hand silently as they walked out of the exam room. Her nerves were shot, she couldn’t wait a week without knowing what would happen to Hudson. How could she sleep knowing that her baby might not be there the next week? How could she eat when she wasn’t certain that Hudson wouldn’t suffer the same fate as her?   
“Betty Cooper, a sight for sore eyes.”   
Betty snapped out of her daze and looked up in the cold, unforgiving eyes of Ben Rogers. Archie immediately stepped in front of Betty, his hand thrown protectively in front of her. She didn’t want to look weak in front of Ben, but the truth was that she was terrified to be close to him again.

“Can’t you just leave us the hell alone?” Archie questioned as he stared Ben down. “What do you want from us? You told me that you didn’t want to be involved with Hudson.”

“Times change,dear Archie. I’m just trying to stake claim to what’s rightfully mine.”

“We’ll see about that, I’m going to do everything in my power to keep you away from  _ my  _ son,” Betty spat as she grabbed Archie’s hand and began to pull him towards the exit. “Come on, Arch.”   
Before she could stop him, Ben had grabbed Betty’s arm and yanked hard, pulling her away from Archie and barreling into Ben’s chest. He leaned down, pulling her ponytail with a gentle tug, and whispered in her ear. 

“I’m going to win this war Betty, whether you make it out or not is up to you,” Ben's voice was sickly sweet and dripping with venom as he pulled Betty closer to him. “Don’t fight me, you won’t win.”

“Get off of her, asshole,” Archie’s voice was loud and booming as he pulled Betty back into his embrace. “I’m calling the cops if I see you anywhere near Betty or Hudson again.” 

Archie and Betty continued on their walk to Archie’s truck silently. As soon as they were seated and the doors had closed, Betty dissolved into tears. 

“He’s going to take everything from me Archie! He’s going to take Hudson and run, he’s not going to let me have my baby boy anymore,” Betty’s breathing became ragged as she leaned over, clutching her knees tightly as she sobbed. Archie slid over the bench seat and gathered her into his arms. 

“I’ve got an idea, we just have to go get Hudson first,” Archie lifted Betty’s face to look at him. “Do you trust me?”

“More than anything.”

+

“What are we doing here?”

Betty, Archie, and Hudson has just pulled into the parking lot of Riverdale City Hall, the three quietly sitting in Betty’s car as Betty looked from the building to Archie. 

“This is my idea,” Archie grinned as he reached into his pocket. “It’s not perfect, but I’ve had this for awhile and I think it’s high time you wear it. If you’ll have me, that is.”

Archie pulled out a black velvet box from his pocket and opened it up. Inside was a sparkling emerald surrounded by a glittering diamond band. Betty gasped and looked up at Archie, tears welling in her eyes. 

“We’re well past eighteen now, so I’m hoping you’ll say yes this time. Betty Cooper, will you marry me?”

“Yes. Without a doubt. I told you all you had to do was wait.”

+

Riverdale City Hall was quiet when Archie and Betty walked in. Hudson was babbling away in Archie’s arms, filling the hallowed halls with his excited noises. Archie pulled Betty into a small courtroom and revealed their parents, Polly, Jughead, and Veronica waiting for them, along with Mayor McCoy.

“Surprise,” Archie beamed as Betty’s jaw fell open. “I knew you wouldn’t want them to miss this. And Mayor McCoy has agreed to officiate.” 

“I don’t deserve you, Archie,” Betty whispered with a smile. “Okay, let's do this.” 

“I, Elizabeth, take you, Archie, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health. To love and to honor, to hold and to keep. From each sun to each moon, from tomorrow to tomorrow. From now to forever, till death do us part. With this ring, I thee wed.” 

“I, Archie, take you, Elizabeth, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health. To love and to honor, to hold and to keep. From each sun to each moon, from tomorrow to tomorrow. From now to forever, till death do us part. With this ring, I thee wed.”

+

“Thank you got joining us today,” Judge McBrian looked over the courtroom. “We’re here for the case of Rogers vs. Cooper and Andrews. Mr. Rogers has requested joint custody and parental rights of the child in question, Hudson Andrews. However, Mrs. Andrews has requested a paternity test before we continue with the proceedings. 

“Mr. Rogers, after reviewing the paternity results, your request for custody and parental rights has been denied due to the fact that you have no biological relation to the child in question. I’ve deemed it most beneficial for Hudson to remain with Mr. and Mrs. Andrews. I’ve also decided to grant Mr. Andrews request for a restraining order against Mr. Rogers for himself, his wife, and  _ his _ son. Case dismissed.”

Betty breathed a sigh of relief, every ounce of tension leaving her body as she turned to watch Archie grab Hudson and hold the baby close to him. Hudson was  _ his.  _ In every sense of the word, Hudson was an Andrews. 

“Archie,” Betty smiled up at her husband. “I’m so sorry I put you through all of this.”

“I would do it a thousand times over if it meant I’d get to keep you and  _ our  _ son forever, Betty,” Archie pulled her into his side, his arms wrapping around Betty and Hudson. “I love you so much, from now to forever.”

“From now to forever.”

  
  



End file.
